Picker stick check strap



Oct. 10, 1961 c. o. cRoNlc: 3,003,523

PICKER STICK CHECK STRAP Fiied July '7, 1959 INVENTOR. CLYDE O. CRON I C ATTORN EYS 3,003,523 Patented Get. 10, 1961 This invention relates generally to picking mechanisms for shuttle looms and more particularly to picker stick checking mechanisms.

Picker stick checking mechanisms in many cases consist of a single relatively wide looped check strap which passes between spaced friction fingers that are inserted to retard the strap when the strap is moved by the picker stick. As is known to those familiar with the art, the picker stick moves at a rather high rate of speed and thus when it engages the single Wide loop of some prior constructions, it weakens the strap inasmuch as generally the force applied by the stick to the strap is not uniform throughout the width thereof. Several attempts in the past to overcome some of the breakage difliculties have evolved themselves in a curved single strap, that is a strap in which the picker stick is more nearly seated throughout the width of the strap, and also some attempts have been made to break up the single strap into a plurality of straps, which plurality of straps are generally utilized to successively retard the picker stick during its travel. -In general these multiple elements straps are made up of a continuous loop of material which is suitably fastened to the lay beam of the loom. This type of construction has one basic disadvantage when replacement must be made, for it is necessary to partially disassemble the apparatus in order to insert the check straps over the picker stick and down through the lay.

It is accordingly an object of the instant invention to improve upon picker check strap assemblies and particularly to provide a construction in which the strap may be readily replaced.

A further object of the invention is to provide a multiple check strap assembly in which each of the straps thereof is of identical length and yet provides the advantages of a curved single check strap in that the straps are oriented so as to engage uniformly the picker stick at the end of the travel thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple check strap assembly which requires no additional adjustments when replacement is made of a new strap since only one strap is replaced at a time.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view partly in section taken substantially through the center of the lay beam;

FIGURE 2 is a partial sectional view taken substantially on lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the complete picker stick checking apparatus of the invention; and

FIGURE 4 is: a perspective view of an alternate construction showing a single strap attached to the support of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown only a portion of the loom to which the present invention is associated. It is to be generally understood that the parts of the loom are of usual construction and do not really form any part of the present invention. For purposes of orientation, however, certain portions of the loom have been shown in the drawings wherein in FIG. 1 there is shown a portion of the usual lay beam and a picker stick 11. The picker stick 1 1 is swung back and forth in the usual manner in a slot 12 which is formed in the lay beam 10. The picker stick 11 is provided with the usual picker 13 which engages a shuttle 14 which for practical purposes lay on top of the lay beam after being boxed at the end of its stroke. For supporting the check strap of the instant invention, there is used a lay bracket 15, one construction of which has a portion 16 under the lay and an upwardly extending flange 17 fitting against the rear side of the lay. Such a lay bracket is suitably secured to the lay 10 by bolts and has a depending finger portion 19 which is adapted to provide a mounting for the check strap. Additionally, acting in cooperation with the check strap and although not shown in the drawing, it should be understood that friction devices are utilized in conjunction therewith although for clarity purposes these friction devices, which are in the form of friction fingers, have been eliminated, it being generally understood how such fingers operate to those skilled in the art.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 3, the check strap assembly 20 is particularly characterized by having a bracket 21 for mounting the strap members which bracket 21 is provided with a central recess 22 and side flanges 23. The side flanges 23 are wider at the top portion than at the bottom portion thereof so that in general the bracket 21 assumes somewhat of a fan shape in outline. To the side flanges 23, there may be attached a plurality of strap members 24 which in the present instance are shown as being attached by a bolt means 25 which is received in suitably threaded openings in the flanges 23, the openings being aligned substantially equidistant from the outer edges of the flanges 23 and in horizontal pairs so that the lines of centers converge from top to bottom. By virtue of this alignment equal strap lengths may be utilized in the assembly 26, one end being fastened to each opening of each horizontal pair. The result of this arrangement will be as shown in FIG- URE 1 in which the strap assembly 20 will nest along the extent of the picker stick Ill. The resistance of each of the check strap loops 24 is somewhat similar and thus the retarding effect of each of the loops is substantially equal. The entire check strap assembly 21 is bolted to the depending finger portion 19 of the bracket as by a bolt and nut combination 28 which passes through an aperture 29 formed within the recess 22. The recess 22 is of such a dimension that it snuggly engages the finger 19 and thus prevents movement thereof relative to the finger Ii such as rotational movement.

It will be apparent that with this construction and particularly the formation of the bracket 21 that the advantages of a curved cheek strap are maintained in a multiple strap construction, and further, the bracket 21 readily :"will adapt itself to use with a single curved strap as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing, inasmuch as the flanges 23 are oriented in a fashion that will provide the necessary orientation to mount the curved strap. This orientation comes about since when one mounts the usual single curved strap, the ends thereof meet at an angle and are then bolted in this position to a bracket beneath the lay of the loom. Since the angle is preset into the bracket 21, no additional orientation is necessary to provide the desired result.

It will accordingly be appreciated that there is disclosed herein a novel bracket for mounting check straps, which bracket automatically orients the straps to provide a proper relationship between them and the picker stick.

I claim:

1. A check for a picker stick including a bracket adapted for mounting on the lay, said bracket having two flanges, each flange having a like number of a plurality of openings forming horizontal cooperating pairs of openings, the line of centers of openings in one flange and the line of centers of openings in the other flange converging from the top to the bottom on substantially the angle that the picker stick will assume between the opposite ends of its stroke to space the openings of said pairs of openings diflerent horizontal distances, a plurality of straps of equal length one for each pair of openings, the ends of each strap secured by means of its pair of openings to the flanges to form a loop, said loops being of unequal length with the loop of greatest length at the top and the loop of smallest length at the bottom whereby the picker stick will engage simultaneously each strap as it approaches either limit of its movement.

2. A mounting for a check strap in which a finger depends from the lay of a loom comprising a support bracket having a central recess therein complemental to the cross-section of said finger with a flange on either side of the recess, each flange having a like number of a lplurality of openings forming horizontal cooperating pairs of openings, the line of centers of openings in one flange and the line of centers of openings in the other flange converging from the top to the bottom on substantially the angle that the picker stick will assume between the opposite ends of its stroke to space the openings of said pairs of openings diflferent horizontal distances, a plurality of straps of equal length one for each pair of openings, the ends of each strap secured by means of its pair of openings to the flanges to form a loop, said loops being of unequal length with the loop of greatest length at the top and the loop of smallest length at the bottom whereby the picker stick will engage simultaneously each strap as it approaches either limit of its movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,287,347 Kuhne Dec. 10, 1918 1,395,904 Chambers Nov. 1, 1921 1,660,245 Whitaker Feb. 21, 1928 1,849,784 Birch et a1. Mar. 15, 1932 2,408,636 Hamilton Oct. 1, 1946 2,426,353 Johnson Aug. 26, 1947 2,452,690 Shivell Nov. 2, 1948 2,520,060 Rhoads Aug. 22, 1950 2,775,264 Rockoti Dec. 25, 1956 2,936,794 Shivell et a1. May 17, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,177 Great Britain of 1861 

